The trophic status of Suwałki Landscape Park lakes based on selected parameters (NE Poland)

This study describes changes in the trophic status of 12 lakes within Suwałki Landscape Park (SLP). All of the trophic classifications of the lakes were based on the trophic continuum division. Trophic status was determined by means of multiparameter indices using several diverse criteria. In this study, the assessment of the trophic status of lakes included water quality; abundance and biomass of bacterioplankton, phytoplankton, and zooplankton; and primary production of phytoplankton. The Carlson trophic state index (TSI) describes the level of water fertility and indicated the dominance of moderately eutrophic waters. Lakes Perty, Jeglówek, and Hańcza have a trophic status that indicates mesotrophy (TSI <50). The trophic status of the studied lakes was determined based on the bacterial abundance and clearly showed a lack of oligotrophic lakes in SLP. Based on the number of bacteria, only Lake Szurpiły can be classified as β-mesotrophic, whereas Lake Linówek can be characterized as hypertrophic with some features typical for humic waters. The greatest value of gross primary production was observed in Lake Linówek (126.4 mg C/m(3)/h). The phytoplankton trophy index varied from 1.59 to 2.28, and its highest value, which indicated eutrophy, was determined for Lake Udziejek. In the case of Lakes Hańcza, Szurpiły, Perty, Jeglówek, and Kojle, the index ranged from 1.25 to 1.74, which indicated mesotrophy. The majority of the lakes were classified as mesoeutrophic (1.75–2.24). The highest trophic status was assessed for lakes with a marked dominance of cyanobacteria (Lake Przechodnie, Lake Krajwelek, Lake Udziejek, and Lake Pogorzałek), which is commonly recognized as an indicator of high trophic status. Considering all of the indices of trophic status, the analysis of rotifer community structure indicates that the studied group of lakes is mesoeutrophic or eutrophic. The values of crustacean zooplankton indices indicated that the trophic status of the studied lakes was close to that determined using a TSI. The parameters of zooplankton abundance and species structure allowed for the observance of changes in the tropic levels of lakes, which are difficult to detect by a chemical assay alone.